Confessions of a Critical Thinker

Monthly Archives: November 2011

There are those who say that if we only removed the handcuff of regulation from business in America that the economy would magically recover fully and mystically jobs would be created. The flaw in this argument derives from the fact that business exists for profit. Profit motive implies that, in a competitive market, businesses will do whatever is necessary to achieve profit.

Friedmanesque economics tells us that all means of gaining profit are moral. In doing whatever is necessary for profit businesses are all too often tempted by the all too human tendency to cheat to achieve their ends. The temptation to cut corners and deceive their competitors and the public is often too great for businesses to resist.

Left to their own devices businesses have no soul, no conscience. They will sell defective products that damage people to serve their lust for profit. They will sell unneeded and deceitful services to gain the slightest advantage. To allow businesses to police themselves is akin to letting the proverbial fox guard the proverbial hen house.

The proper role of government is to protect and empower the people. Who else if not the government will protect the public from predatory business practices through regulation. Some who hear this argument often say that “You just hate business”. This could not be further from the truth. There are many businesses that follow moral and just business practices. However it is imperative that some entity stand up to those who do not have such scruples. Citizens by themselves are powerless to fend off bad businesses. Only the government is capable of such action.

It is logical to expect those who take our money to give us real value for their goods and services and not to rob or deceive those upon whom they depend for their livelihoods. Until we live in a more perfect world business must be regulated to to protect the public from those that thirst only for profit without morals. I will admit that certain regulations are illogical and in need of reform. But that does not mean that all regulation should disappear out of hand.

If corporations want to be treated as people they should be held to the same moral standards as real people.

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The media has recently been full of lurid accounts of the Penn State pedophilia scandal. Everyone has an opinion. They range from shock and outrage at the alleged acts and compassion for the alleged victims to indignation at the firing of a football legend.

Perhaps one good thing that might arise out of the media circus surrounding the scandal would be an increased awareness in mainstream culture about this perfect example of the true nature of the classic pedophile. This man, if we are to believe the accusations, exhibited most of the tell tale attributes of those who would defile our children.

He was powerful in his community, a top football coach in a top division one program, second in power only to a legendary coach seen as a type of god at his university. He was respected and trusted, just the type of social status to which the pedophile aspires. He had a supportive community around him which protected him and enabled him to act with impunity, perhaps even when they knew of or suspected his perversions. He had access to the kind of private places where he could carry out his sick deeds. He founded a foundation whose purpose was to mentor young boys, giving him access to any number of vulnerable youth. All of these traits are common to many pedophiles. They seek authority and standing in the community and ready access to potential prey as a rule.

The only way to combat this type of deviant is for society, all of us, to open ourselves to knowing and understanding this profile of the pedophile, the position of authority, the way he assures he has access to prey, the earning of a position of social respect and aura of trustworthiness, the tell tale signs of questionable behavior around young people in public, the network of enablers. These signs can be easily overlooked. We must be diligent but not paranoid in our diligence. A tall order to be sure.

People feared crossing this man. He made sure of that. Neither the young boys or adults around him were comfortable confronting him about his habit of showering with young boys. They feared him. It may be that his sickness partially originates in his own fear. We may never know.

Most importantly we need to speak the truth about and not hide in shame from the reality of this type of cancer among us. If you suspect, cautiously investigate or convince someone qualified to do so. If you witness, report it immediately. Stand up for your moral values. Listen to your children or if they suddenly go through a dramatic change in behavior gently try to elicit the truth from them. This can be hard but parenting is always hard if done properly. Do not remain in the shadows of fear and embarrassment for this is where the pedophile lives and from whence he derives his power. Women can also be pedophiles, however rarely. Do not discount them out of hand for their gender.

Trust but verify.

There are some things about which civilized society must maintain a zero tolerance policy. Among those things pedophilia is one of the most important.

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My Latest Wisdom

From the Lost Land of Rightiness

Apologies to Monsieur Colbert. Truth is both relative and absolute. A most sublime contradiction. When you agree with me you are right. When you disagree with me you are right. The trick is getting both of those rights to talk to each other.

When we talk we recognize. When we recognize we acknowledge. When we acknowledge we identify. When we identify we respect. We can only respect from a place of self respect. Without self respect we are lost. When we are lost we need to ask. When we ask we talk.

Talking, we share feelings. Feelings live in the mind but are controlled by the heart. Sharing feelings we both see into the mind and follow the movement of the heart. Knowledge of soul is not far behind if one takes a leap, not of faith but of love.